Hello colleagues,

I am reaching out to give you an update on the step raise issue that we have previously brought up. Many faculty and CLTs who were promoted between Spring of 2023 and 2024 (i.e., after the last contract ended and before the new contract was ratified) were not awarded step increases, in an attempt by the college administration to save money during an avoidable budget crisis. This breaks with established practice at Queens College for at least the last decade. Moreover, the provisions of the 2023-2027 PSC CUNY contract requires a step increase upon promotion. The terms of the contract are being applied retrospectively in other regards; the requirement for step increases should be no different.

The Queens College chapter of PSC-CUNY has been advocating for these members, who should not be penalized because of the timing of their promotions. At a Labor/Management meeting in Fall 2025, we asked the college administration to address the problem, sharing written testimony from affected colleagues, and many department chairs have repeated this call at the college-wide P&B. 

We will continue to press the administration to do the right thing for those inequitably denied these raises. These step increases have been implemented at some CUNY colleges, while others are organizing around the issue now. We are exploring ways to coordinate across the university to seek equity for our colleagues and will of course keep you posted on any upcoming plans or actions. In the meantime, if you have been affected by the administration’s refusal to award the step increase upon promotion but have not reached out to us yet, please do so!

In solidarity,

Erica Doran, PSC QC chapter chair